How to measure basal temperature to determine ovulation or pregnancy with a regular thermometer. What is basal temperature? How to measure basal temperature to determine pregnancy

Basal temperature (BT) is a free and reliable way determine ovulation or pregnancy at home. Basal temperature measurement - good habit modern woman who wants to get pregnant. The BT chart records the woman’s body temperature daily (measurement is most often performed rectally). Progesterone is a special hormone produced in different periods menstrual cycle, affects the hypothalamus. And the hypothalamus affects body temperature. Thus, it is possible to track the changes occurring in a woman’s body based on the BT chart.

Why measure basal temperature

BT is measured by various reasons . Women who do not have problems with their cycle and conception are most often unfamiliar with the concept of “ basal temperature" But girls who have encountered some problems know exactly what it is. BT measurement is done for the following reasons:

The need to measure basal temperature arises when a couple can't conceive a child for a long time. When visiting a gynecologist, the first thing he advises is to start measuring BT.

Methods for measuring BT

There are several ways to measure BT: rectal, vaginal, oral. Most often, doctors recommend the rectal method of measurement. In fact, there is no difference how to measure BT. The main thing in the BT chart is not the numbers, but their dynamics, their changes throughout the entire cycle. Therefore, BT can be measured in any way. But you should always use only one method.

There are several rules how to measure basal temperature to determine ovulation.

1. Measurements must be taken at the same time.
2. The measurement is made with the same thermometer.
3. The minimum duration of sleep before measurement is 6 hours.
4. You need to start measuring BBT from the first day of the cycle (the first day of menstruation).

Basal temperature will tell you about all changes in the body. How to measure correctly? To measure your temperature correctly, you must avoid drinking alcohol before bed. Set an alarm for 6 or 7 am (the main thing is to get at least 6 hours of sleep). Without getting out of bed, making minimal movements, measure BT. Mark the result in the graph. After this, wash the thermometer and hands.

Regardless of which measurement method is chosen, the instructions are always the same. BT can be affected by various factors, so it is necessary to monitor it for several months.

BT schedule healthy woman will look something like this: from the first day of the cycle until the middle (up to 12–13 days), the temperature will fluctuate between 36.3–36.7 degrees. On days 12–13, the temperature will be about 36.2–36.3. Further the temperature will increase to 37 degrees, no more. Then a new cycle will begin.

You should not self-medicate if there are any deviations in the BT schedule. Every woman's body is different, so ovulation may occur earlier or later. There is also the concept of “anovulatory cycle”. It means that there was no ovulation in this menstrual cycle. And that's absolutely normal. A healthy woman can have a cycle without ovulation 1-2 times a year.

Determination of ovulation by BT

The main thing that measurement of BT gives is the determination of the day when ovulation occurs. There are several ways “calculate” ovulation:

How to determine ovulation by basal temperature? To begin with, it is necessary to conduct research for at least three months. Next, you need analyze the BT chart. The first phase (follicular) of the cycle in the chart will be characterized by numbers from 36.4–36.8. Further, there will be one obvious distinctive date in the schedule. The temperature on this day will be lower than on all others. That is, this temperature will divide the graph in half. This is the day when ovulation begins. The next day there will be a rise in BT by half a degree. This is the day of ovulation.

After it, the second (luteal) phase of the cycle begins. The temperature during this period slowly approaches 37 degrees. Before the start of menstruation (2–3 days), BT will decrease slightly and will be about 36.8–36.9 degrees.

As you can see, determining ovulation by BT is not difficult. The main thing is to take measurements regularly, at the same time, with the same thermometer.

Determination of pregnancy by BT

The BT chart will look different if conception occurs. Usually, before the start of a new cycle, the temperature drops slightly and is about 36.8 degrees. If conception has occurred, the temperature will rise to 37 degrees; before the expected menstruation it will not fall, but will remain at the same level. The temperature should not be below 37 degrees. That is, if on the day of the expected menstruation and two days before it there is no decrease in BT, then, most likely, conception has occurred.

Such changes in the body are characterized by the amount of the hormone progesterone. It is responsible for changing body temperature. During pregnancy, progesterone is vital for the baby. This main hormone for supporting developing pregnancy, preventing miscarriage and fetal death. In the first weeks of pregnancy, progesterone is produced very actively, so BT goes beyond 37 degrees.

But here it is also necessary To follow the rules:

1. To analyze the situation, it is necessary to measure BT for at least 3 cycles.
2. An incipient cold or acute respiratory viral infection can affect the rise in temperature.
3. Alcohol consumed the day before or intense physical activity could affect body temperature.

Therefore, before you please your loved ones with good news, you need to analyze everything. The most correct decision would be to wait for a delay in menstruation and carry out home test for pregnancy.

Now doctors are increasingly advising their patients to measure BBT. Does this research method help to understand? what and when happens in a woman’s body, and whether it happens at all. Ovulation may not occur at all, the BT chart will help you figure this out. The female body is a very complex system. Ovulation can occur immediately after menstruation or, conversely, right before it. To understand all the nuances of a particular organism, it is best to contact a qualified gynecologist.

Pregnancy is a period when the expectant mother monitors her health with special care. After all, now she worries not only about herself, but also about the life that arose inside her body.

It is very important not to worry about anything, because unnecessary worry will not bring any benefit. There are some methods, such as measuring basal temperature, that can help you monitor your health status on an ongoing basis.

This technique helps to identify some dangerous symptoms. By reacting in time, the expectant mother will be able to protect her unborn baby. If any deviation from the norm is observed, you should urgently seek help from a doctor.

What is BT?

It is usually abbreviated as BT, less commonly rectal temperature. As the name suggests, it is not measured in the standard way - under the armpits. There are several measurement options - in the mouth, in the vagina and in the rectum. It is often used to track ovulation when a woman wants to become pregnant.

A normal menstrual cycle often shows up to 37 Celsius, but exactly until ovulation begins - then the temperature increases by 0.4 Celsius. After this, or within 1-2 days, it decreases again. But if this does not happen, then, most likely, pregnancy has occurred.

How long should you be during pregnancy? And how long should it last?

Each organism is individual, but normally it is 37.1 – 37.3, which is exactly what the temperature is during ovulation and remains the same if pregnancy occurs. It is worth remembering that the borderline norm is 37.0. If there is a deviation of 0.8 degrees in any direction, this is a reason to go to the doctor, or at least you should consult a doctor.

As for how long it lasts, the answer is clear - from the beginning of pregnancy and the first few months while the girl is carrying the fetus.

Why measure BT?

There are two reasons for this - to monitor the health of the mother and child, as well as to plan pregnancy.

The first reason, as mentioned above, helps to understand whether everything is in order with your health. And the second reason helps to calculate ovulation. When a woman wants to give birth to a child, she needs to determine when ovulation occurs. When there is an increase in BT, this is a sign that it has arrived, and now highest probability get pregnant.

How to measure it during pregnancy?

Be sure to take the measurement in the morning, immediately after sleep, when the body is still at rest. An important point is that it is advisable to get full sleep, at least six hours. It can be measured in any way, but rectal is considered the most reliable. Measurement in this way should be carried out for at least three to four minutes.

Oral and vaginal methods measurements will also work, but the time increases to five minutes. Any thermometer will do - both a regular mercury thermometer and an electronic one. It is advisable to take measurements every day and mark them in a notebook or a special chart - this makes it easier to track the dynamics. The procedure must be carried out at the same time each time, the permissible time difference is thirty minutes.

Some factors, such as illness, stress, travel, consumption of alcohol-containing products and even certain medications, can affect the accuracy of the result. You should also not use contraceptives if you are measuring your rectal temperature.

Normal after conception

Each organism is individual. This can be proven by a simple fact - some people have a normal (non-rectal) temperature of 36.6, while others have a normal temperature of 37 and even higher. At the same time, two types of people feel excellent and do not get sick.

So when measuring BT - everything depends on the specific organism. However, you should know the generally accepted and most common norms - from 37 to 37.3. The temperature rises, as a special hormone, progesterone, begins to be produced in large quantities. This happens to protect the fetus.

There were cases when a woman had a rectal temperature of 38, but she was not sick and everything was fine with the fetus. Such cases are very rare; usually, if the temperature is already above 37.3 or below 37, it is wiser to consult a doctor.

Determining pregnancy by basal temperature

Most likely, a woman is pregnant if the following symptoms are observed:

• The temperature is elevated three days after the end of ovulation.
• If, with a normal two-phase schedule, the girl observes another jump in temperature (this condition is not considered mandatory).
• Phase corpus luteum does not stop for 18 days - that is, the temperature is elevated all this time.

Daily fluctuations in BT

As usual, you need to take your temperature immediately after sleep, at the same time. The fact is that factors such as light physical activity, food, and even clothing can affect the result. It is normal when it rises above 37.3 during the day (not in the morning) - however, the reason for such an increase is precisely the factors described earlier.

Therefore, there is no point in measuring it during the day or even in the evening - you will not understand whether the fluctuations are caused by the normal load on the body or whether there is a reason to worry. Just imagine, on early stages in the evening, BT can increase by 1 degree! Morning results are the most reliable, so mark them.

Promotion

If there is a situation with an increase in body temperature during pregnancy, inflammatory or infectious processes. But this is only if the increase was recorded correctly, that is, in the morning. Termination of pregnancy in this case is unlikely, but it cannot be discounted.

About ectopic pregnancy– it may not necessarily cause an increase rectal temperature. Usually it is within normal limits. If this type of pregnancy occurs, the woman may feel severe pain in the abdomen, bleeding may even occur. In this case, you cannot delay; you should call an ambulance.

A fall

This also happens. Its fall, especially sharp, should be alarming. This means that there is insufficient production of hormones. This clearly indicates that the body is unable to maintain female body during pregnancy.

If, along with a decrease in rectal temperature, you notice symptoms such as abdominal pain, bleeding, prolonged uterine tone, then consult a doctor and undergo an examination.

A frozen pregnancy usually shows a result below 37, but even in this case you should not panic, but contact a medical facility.

When and how to measure?

In the morning, without getting out of bed, in a state of rest and minimal activity. To do this, you need to take a thermometer and place it two centimeters into the vagina or rectum. You need to hold the thermometer for three to five minutes.

It is necessary to measure BT each time using the same method, that is, choose one - rectal or place the thermometer in the vagina. The thermometer cannot be changed either, nor can the measurement time - if you decide to measure at 8.00 in the morning, then continue in the same spirit. Fluctuations can be up to thirty minutes in both directions.

To carry out the procedure as accurately as possible, here are a few rules that must be followed:

• Do the procedure in horizontal position and in no other way, don’t even turn on your side, much less squat.
• Required good sleep- from five hours.
• It is advisable not to have sex while you are monitoring temperature changes. Or at least maintain a gap of half a day between measurement and sexual intercourse.
• You should not take medications - they both lower and increase BT. It’s worse when they raise it - yours may be below normal, and you will think that she is fine.
• Have breakfast only after the procedure.
• Try not to get sick - even a sore throat can distort your readings.

Why do you need a schedule?

If the expectant mother wants to seriously monitor this indicator, then she cannot do without a chart. Various circumstances can affect rectal temperature, especially in the first months of pregnancy.

Typically, fluctuations on the chart look like this:

1. On the day of conception - from 36.4 to 36.7.
2. The next three to four days there is an increase of 0.1, that is, it can reach 37 degrees.
3. The value may remain the same for the next two to three days.
4. On the day of implantation ovum in the uterine mucosa it decreases to 36.5-36.6 degrees.
5. The next three the day goes by smooth increase and is achieved from 36.7 to 37.
6. The next fourteen days the value ranges from 36.7 to 31.1. It is important to monitor whether it has dropped below the value it was during ovulation.

It is important to indicate in the chart not only the numbers, but also the possible circumstances that influenced them - illness, stress, admission medical supplies etc. The attending physician should know about them.

How to correctly draw up and decipher a schedule: a detailed guide

You can draw it yourself, or find it on the Internet and print it. Include the following notes in your schedule:

"Pregnant" charts

You can’t measure everything with just a graph; discrepancies are acceptable. U different women different indicators happen. For example, some people do not observe implantation retraction, or there are several of them at once.

It happens that the temperature rises sharply, or, conversely, gradually. Sometimes it does not rise above 37. All the described options are determined by doctors as the norm.

Is it possible to determine pregnancy with a thermometer without a chart?

You can, but to do this you need to follow the rules:

• In the evening, shake the thermometer and place it nearby, but not under the pillow. The main thing is that it is convenient for you to get it without using sudden movements;
• In the morning, without eating, and without even getting up, use a thermometer. Choose either the rectal method or place the thermometer in the vagina. It should be placed two centimeters;
• Wait three to five minutes;
• If the reading is above 37, you are probably pregnant.

But you can’t count on accuracy; an increase can signal an inflammatory process, infection, hormonal imbalance or ordinary stress.

Factors influencing performance

To get a reliable result, exclude the following situations:

• Taking medications;
• Use of contraception (oral or IUD);
• Banal lack of sleep;
• Consumption of alcoholic beverages;
• Sex less than six hours before measurement;
• Overwork;
• Any illness;
• The usual temperature is elevated.

Do I need to be monitored during pregnancy?

It makes sense to do this during the first months. It remains elevated until the twentieth week after conception. Usually, not only gynecologists, but even endocrinologists vote for the control of BT.

By measuring BT, you can notice deviations in time and react to them. Low readings may indicate a threat of miscarriage. Therefore, the answer is clear - it is advisable to control it. However, this is not the only way to diagnose the condition. expectant mother and her child.

At different stages of pregnancy

Let's consider the basal temperature at various stages of pregnancy:

• Week 3 corresponds to the 1st embryonic week. BT shows from 37 to 37.7 and slightly higher. A mark below indicates deviations and the danger of miscarriage.
• H. 4 ranging from 37.1 to 37.3°, maximum - 38. If higher, then it may be an infection.
• N. 5 is stable from 37.1 to 37.7. If she “jumps”, then pay attention to other signs: nagging pain, hardening of the abdomen, softening of the mammary glands, etc.
• N. 6 maintains the same results: from 37.1 to 37.7. If it rises or falls significantly, fetal death is possible.
• N. 7-8 from 37.1-37.3 (not lower) and not higher than 38. For non-standard indicators, go additional diagnostics health (ultrasound).
• N. 9-10 - as during weeks 7-8, but more than 37 and below 38. If this is not the case, consult a doctor.
• N. 11 decrease from 37 to 37.2. If it continues to be high, then consult a gynecologist.
• H. 12 from 37 to 37.8, but not higher than 38. Ideal are from 37.6-37.7°.

Recent weeks show from 36.6 to 36.8. At the fortieth week it rises to 37.4 and can rise immediately before childbirth.

Deviation from the norm

If it deviates from the norm, then this is either ovulation or pregnancy. During pregnancy, the doctor often recommends measuring it to eliminate the risk. This method is especially often recommended for those who have previously experienced a miscarriage or problems during pregnancy.

Why is she too tall?

This may be due to infection due to inflammatory process, or even an ectopic pregnancy. In this case, you need to monitor some other signs: does your stomach hurt, what color is the discharge (normally transparent). If you observe them, you need to do an ultrasound.

Possible threat of interruption

This is signaled by a decrease in BT. The decrease occurs due to a lack of progesterone production. If the result falls below 37, you also experience abdominal pain and discharge Brown, you need to urgently seek help.

Frozen pregnancy

Unfortunately, in this case the fetus will have to be removed; it threatens the woman’s life. It doesn’t always go away on its own, so you will have to seek medical help.

Other signs indicating fetal fading are the absence of toxicosis, the mammary glands no longer enlarge.

Does low BT occur during normal pregnancy?

It’s difficult to talk about norms - they are always conditional. Low temperature does not always prevent pregnancy; women give birth healthy babies and their lives are not in danger. In addition, there may be such an option - during ovulation, just before conception, the temperature was 36.4, so it is unlikely that it will reach 37 over the next two weeks.

However, if there are such signs - pain or opaque discharge - you need to go to the doctor.

Basal temperature of a healthy woman

The norm is not lower than 36.2, but not higher than 37.2. Before ovulation, the temperature drops, during which it rises - this way the most likely moment for conception is determined. After conception, it practically does not decrease.

Signs of probable infertility according to schedule

This is indicated by the following:

• The average for the second phase of the cycle (after the temperature rises) exceeds the average for the first phase by less than 0.4 degrees.
• In the second phase of the cycle, the temperature drops (it is below 37).
• The rise in temperature in the middle of the cycle continues for more than three to four days.
• The second phase is short (less than eight days).

Schedule for ovulation stimulation

With, especially clomiphene (clostilbegit) and using, in the second phase of MC, the rectal temperature graph usually becomes “normal”. Two-phase, with a pronounced phase transition, with a fairly high temperature in the second, with characteristic “stages” (the temperature rises twice) and a slight drop.

If the stimulation schedule is disrupted and deviates from the norm, this may indicate an incorrect selection of the drug dose.

An increase in the first phase upon stimulation with clomiphene also occurs with individual sensitivity to the drug.

When to contact a gynecologist?

If you are seriously monitoring your BT and see a problem for two cycles in a row, consult your doctor. However, he should not prescribe drugs based on the schedule alone; you should be referred for other types of examinations. Pay attention to these factors:

• Novulatory charts.
• Constant delays in the cycle, but pregnancy does not occur.
• Late ovulation and you don't get pregnant for a couple of cycles.
• Controversial indicators with unclear ovulation.
• Graphs with high temperature or low temperature throughout the cycle.
• If the second phase is short (less than 10 days).
• High rates in the second phase of the cycle for more than 18 days, while there are no periods and pregnancy has not occurred.
• Bleeding or heavy discharge in the middle of the cycle.
• Heavy discharge during menstruation that lasts more than 5 days.
• Graphs with the temperature difference in the first and second phases less than 0.4.
• Cycles less than 21 days or more than 35.
• Schedules with clearly defined ovulation, regular sexual intercourse during ovulation, but the woman does not become pregnant for several cycles in a row.

BT as a method of contraception

You can use it because highest probability that a woman will become pregnant - during ovulation and two days after it. And since this method can be calculated this period, then it can serve as a method of contraception.

Should you trust this method?

It can be used as an additional method of pregnancy control and planning. However, you cannot rely on it alone, since modern methods diagnostics are more accurate. But how additional measure, measuring BT is a great idea.

The rise in temperature is slowed down. Problems with estrogen lead to disturbances in other hormones, which is a consequence elevated temperature and in . Getting pregnant with such a schedule is extremely problematic - treatment is required.

REFERENCE! If there is a lack of estrogen, periods may come with the same frequency. The absence of obvious symptoms of the disease prevents a woman from detecting it.

A similar graph can be observed during the inflammatory process, when estrogens are normal.

For inflammation of the ovaries

Schedule during the inflammatory process looks quite specific. It is characterized by intense temperature jumps. They can be noticed in the first half of the menstrual cycle. The indicators reach 37 degrees and remain at this level for several days.

Then it happens sudden drop in temperature. A woman may confuse this phenomenon with. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to analyze the graph in conjunction with an ultrasound examination.

IMPORTANT! In the presence of an inflammatory process, a change is noted vaginal secretion, appearance painful sensations in the lower abdomen and back.

For estrogen-progesterone deficiency

In case of shortage at the same time two important hormones: estrogen and progesterone there is a slight increase in temperature (by 0.1–0.3 °C), and the output also has a slight increase in indicators.

If you have such a schedule, you should visit a gynecologist. After the examination, the specialist will prescribe appropriate treatment aimed at restoration of hormonal levels.

In case of corpus luteum deficiency

After the incident begins to act, it is also called corpus luteum phase, which is formed at the site of a burst follicle and produces progesterone, the pregnancy hormone. Its main function is to prepare for implantation, and it is also responsible for support. Its deficiency affects reproductive function.

Basal temperature - This body temperature at rest after at least 6 hours of sleep. IN different phases During the menstrual cycle, a woman’s basal temperature constantly changes under the influence hormonal changes in the female body.

Measuring basal body temperature BT - a simple functional test that every woman can learn at home. The method is based on the hyperthermic (temperature) effect of progesterone on the thermoregulation center located in the hypothalamus.

Why do you need a basal temperature chart?

By drawing up a graph of fluctuations in basal temperature, you can accurately predict not only the phase of the menstrual cycle in this moment, but also to suspect possible deviations from the norm. Let's list what exactly you might need skill of measuring basal temperature in everyday life:

1. If you want to get pregnant and cannot predict when ovulation occurs - favorable moment for conceiving a child - the release of a mature egg capable of fertilization from the ovarian follicle in abdominal cavity;
or vice versa - you don’t want to get pregnant, thanks to basal temperature (BT) you can predict “dangerous days”.
2. To determine pregnancy in the early stages with a delay in menstruation.
3. By regularly measuring basal temperature, you can determine the possible cause of a missed period: pregnancy, lack of ovulation or late ovulation.
4. If your gynecologist suspects that you have hormonal disorders, you or your partner are infertile: if after one year of regular sexual activity pregnancy has not occurred, the gynecologist may recommend that you measure your basal temperature (BT) to determine possible reasons infertility.

5. If you want to plan the gender of your unborn child.

How to measure basal temperature (BT) correctly

As you can see, correct measurement of basal temperature (BT) helps answer many important questions. Most women know why they need to measure basal temperature (BT), but few know how to conduct the study correctly. Let's try to sort this issue out.

Firstly, you need to immediately understand for yourself that no matter what the basal temperature (BT) values ​​obtained are, this is not a reason for self-diagnosis, and even less so for self-medication. Only a qualified gynecologist should decipher basal temperature charts.

Secondly, there is no need to draw any quick conclusions - basal temperature (BT) needs at least 3 menstrual cycles to more or less accurately answer the questions - when do you ovulate, and whether you hormonal disorders etc.

Basic rules for measuring basal temperature (BT)

1. It is necessary to measure basal temperature (BT) from the first day of the menstrual cycle (from the first day of menstruation), otherwise the graph will not reflect the full dynamics of changes.

2. You can measure basal temperature (BT) in the mouth, vagina or anus, the latter is more preferable. Many gynecologists believe that the rectal method is more reliable and produces fewer errors than all others. You need to measure the temperature in the mouth for about 5 minutes, in the vagina and rectum for about 3 minutes.
If you measured your basal temperature (BT) in one place, then the next time you take a measurement, the location of the thermometer and the duration of the measurement cannot be changed. Today in the mouth, tomorrow in the vagina, and the day after tomorrow in the rectum - such variations are not appropriate and can lead to false diagnosis. Basal temperature (BT) cannot be measured under the armpit!

3. You need to measure your basal temperature (BT) at the same time, preferably in the morning, immediately after waking up, without getting out of bed.

4. Always use the same thermometer - digital or mercury. If you use mercury, remember to shake before use.

5. Write down the results immediately, and make notes if there was anything that day or the day before that could affect the basal temperature (BT): alcohol intake, flight, stress, acute respiratory infections, inflammatory diseases, increased physical activity, sexual intercourse the night before or in the morning, taking medicines- sleeping pills, hormones, psychotropic drugs, etc. All these factors can affect basal temperature and make the study unreliable.

Upon admission oral contraceptives measuring BT makes no sense!

Thus, to create a complete graph of fluctuations in basal temperature (BT), you will need to mark the indicators:
- date of the calendar month;
- day of the menstrual cycle;
- basal temperature indicators;
- the nature of discharge from the genital tract on a certain day of the cycle: bloody, mucous, viscous, watery, yellowish, dry, etc. It is important to note this to complete the picture of the chart, since during ovulation, discharge from cervical canal become more watery;
- notes as necessary for a specific day: we enter there all the provoking factors listed above that may affect the change in BT. For example: I took alcohol the day before, didn’t sleep well, or had sex in the morning before the measurement, etc. Notes must be made, even insignificant ones, otherwise the resulting graphs will not correspond to reality.

In general, your basal temperature records should look something like this in table form:

Date Day mts BT Highlights Notes

July 5 13th 36.2 Watery, transparent Drank wine the day before
July 6 14th 36.3 viscous, transparent _________
7 July 15th 36.5 white, viscous _________

Normal basal temperature chart

Before you start drawing up a basal temperature (BT) chart, you need to know how the basal temperature should normally change under the influence of hormones?

A woman’s menstrual cycle is divided into 2 phases: follicular (hypothermic) and luteal (hyperthermic). In the first phase, the follicle develops, from which the egg is subsequently released. During this same phase, the ovaries intensively produce estrogens. During the follicular phase, BT is below 37 degrees. Next, ovulation occurs in the middle of 2 phases - approximately on days 12-16 of the menstrual cycle. On the eve of ovulation, BT drops sharply. Further, during ovulation and immediately after it, progesterone is released and BT increases by 0.4-0.6 degrees, which serves reliable sign ovulation. The second phase - luteal, or also called the corpus luteum phase - lasts about 14 days and if conception has not occurred, it ends with menstruation. During the corpus luteum phase, very important processes occur - a balance is maintained between low levels of estrogen and high levels of progesterone - thus the corpus luteum prepares the body for possible pregnancy. During this phase, basal temperature (BT) usually remains at 37 degrees and above. On the eve of menstruation and in the first days of the cycle, basal temperature (BT) again drops by approximately 0.3 degrees and everything starts all over again. That is, normally, every healthy woman should have fluctuations in basal temperature (BT) - if there are no rises and falls, then we can talk about the absence of ovulation, and as a result, infertility.

Let's look at examples of basal temperature (BT) graphs, what they should be normally and in pathology. The basal temperature (BT) chart that you see below reflects two normal physiological conditions that a healthy woman may have: 1-lilac curve - basal temperature (BT), which should be during a normal menstrual cycle, ending with menstruation; 2- light green curve - basal temperature (BT) of a woman with a normal menstrual cycle, ending in pregnancy. The black line is the ovulation line. Burgundy line-mark 37 degrees, serves for clarity of the graph.

Now let's try to decipher this basal temperature graph. Note, mandatory feature Basal temperature (BT) is normally a two-phase menstrual cycle - that is, both the hypothermic and hyperthermic phases should always be clearly visible on the graph. In the first phase, basal temperature (BT) can range from 36.2 to 36.7 degrees. We observe these fluctuations on this chart from days 1-11 of the cycle. Further, on the 12th day, BT sharply drops by 0.2 degrees, which is a harbinger of the beginning of ovulation. On the 13-14th day, a rise is visible immediately after the fall - ovulation occurs. Next - to the second phase - basal temperature (BT) continues to rise by 0.4-0.6 degrees compared to the first phase - in this case, up to 37 degrees and this temperature (marked with a burgundy line) remains until the end of the menstrual cycle and drops before the start of menstruation - on the 25th day of the cycle. On the 28th day of the cycle, the line is interrupted, which means that the cycle has ended and a new menstrual cycle has begun. But another option is also possible - the light green line, as you can see, does not fall, but continues to grow to 37.1. This means that most likely a woman with a light green line on the basal temperature (BT) chart is pregnant. False Positives measurements of basal temperature (increase in basal temperature in the absence of the corpus luteum) can be in acute and chronic infections, as well as with some changes higher departments central nervous system.

Important to know when charting your basal temperature!

1. Normally, the menstrual cycle for a healthy woman ranges from 21 to 35 days, most often 28-30 days, as in the graph. However, for some women, the cycle may be shorter than 21 days, or, conversely, longer than 35. This is a reason to contact a gynecologist. Perhaps this is ovarian dysfunction.

2. The basal temperature (BT) chart should always clearly reflect ovulation, which divides the first and second phases. Always immediately after a pre-ovulatory drop in temperature in the middle of the cycle, a woman ovulates -on the chart this is the 14th day, marked with a black line. Therefore, the most optimal time for conception is the day of ovulation and 2 days before it. Using this graph as an example, the most favorable days For conception there will be 12,13 and 14 days of the cycle. And one more nuance: you may not detect a pre-ovulatory decrease in basal temperature (BT) immediately before ovulation, but only see an increase - there is nothing wrong with that, most likely ovulation has already begun.

3. The length of the first phase can normally change - lengthen or shorten. But the length of the second phase should not vary normally and is approximately 14 days (plus or minus 1-2 days). If you notice that your second phase is shorter than 10 days, this may be a sign of insufficiency of the second phase and requires consultation with a gynecologist. In a healthy woman, the duration of the 1st and 2nd phases should normally be approximately the same, for example 14+14 or 15+14, or 13+14 and so on.

4. Pay attention to the temperature difference between the average values ​​of the first and second phases of the graph. If the difference is less than 0.4 degrees, this may be a sign of hormonal disorders. You need to be examined by a gynecologist - take a blood test for progesterone and estrogen. In approximately 20% of cases, such a monophasic graph of basal temperature BT-without a significant temperature difference between the phases is a variant of the norm and in such patients the hormones are normal.

5. If you have a delay in menstruation, and the hyperthermic (increased) basal BT temperature lasts more than 18 days, this may indicate a possible pregnancy (light green line on the graph). If menstruation does occur, but the discharge is quite scanty and the basal BT temperature is still elevated, you urgently need to see a gynecologist and take a pregnancy test. Most likely these are signs of an incipient miscarriage.

6. If the basal BT temperature in the first phase rose sharply for 1 day, then fell - this is not a sign of concern. This is possible under the influence of provoking factors that affect changes in basal temperature (BT).

Now let’s look at examples of graphs of basal BT temperature for various gynecological pathologies:

The schedule is monophasic, i.e. almost without significant temperature fluctuations of the curve. If the rise in basal temperature (BT) in the second phase is weakly expressed (0.1-0.3 C) after ovulation, then this possible signs lack hormones - progesterone and estrogen. You need to have a blood test for these hormones.

If ovulation does not occur and the corpus luteum produced by progesterone does not form, then the basal temperature (BT) curve is monotonic: there are no pronounced jumps or drops - ovulation does not occur, and accordingly, a woman with such a basal temperature (BT) schedule cannot become pregnant. An anovulatory cycle is normal for a healthy woman if such a cycle occurs no more than once a year. Accordingly, during pregnancy and lactation, the absence of ovulation is also the norm. If all of the above does not apply to you and this situation repeats from cycle to cycle, you definitely need to contact a gynecologist. The doctor will prescribe you hormonal treatment.

The basal temperature of the BT increases several days before the end of the cycle due to hormonal deficiency and does not decrease immediately before menstruation; there is no characteristic preovulatory retraction. The second phase lasts less than 10 days. It is possible to get pregnant with such a basal temperature (BT) schedule, but there is a high probability of miscarriage. We remember that normally the hormone progesterone is produced in the second phase. If the hormone is synthesized in insufficient quantities, BT rises very slowly and the pregnancy may be terminated. With such a basal temperature (BT) schedule, it is necessary to take a progesterone test in the second phase of the cycle. If progesterone is low, then hormonal drugs - gestagens (Utrozhestan or Duphaston) must be prescribed in the second phase. For pregnant women with low progesterone, these drugs are prescribed for up to 12 weeks. If the drugs are abruptly stopped, a miscarriage may occur.

In the first phase, the basal BT temperature under the influence of estrogens remains within 36.2-36.7 C. If the basal BT temperature in the first phase rises above the specified mark and if you see sharp jumps and rises on the graph, then most likely there is a lack of estrogen. In the second phase we see the same picture - ups and downs. On the graph, in the first phase, the basal temperature of the BT rises to 36.8 C, i.e. above normal. In the second phase there are sharp fluctuations from 36.2 to 37 C (but with a similar pathology they can be higher). Fertility in such patients is sharply reduced. For treatment purposes, gynecologists prescribe hormone therapy. Having seen such a graph, there is no need to rush to draw conclusions - such a picture can also be observed in inflammatory diseases. gynecological diseases, when everything is in order with estrogens, for example, with inflammation of the appendages. The graph is presented below.

You can see in this graph with sharp declines and rises that, due to the inflammatory process, it is problematic to determine when ovulation occurred, since the basal BT temperature can increase both during inflammation and during ovulation. On the 9th day of the cycle, we see a rise, which can be mistakenly taken for an ovulatory rise, but this is most likely a sign of the onset of an inflammatory process. This basal temperature (BT) chart once again proves that you cannot draw conclusions and make diagnoses based on the basal temperature (BT) chart of one cycle.

We remember that at the beginning of the menstrual cycle, the basal body temperature is lowered. If the temperature at the end of the previous cycle decreased, and then sharply rose to 37.0 with the beginning of menstruation and does not decrease, as can be seen on the graph, it is possible we're talking about about a terrible disease - endometritis and you urgently need treatment from a gynecologist. But if you have a delay in your period and your basal BT temperature remains elevated for more than 16 days from the start of the rise, you are probably pregnant.

If you notice that during 3 menstrual cycles you have stable changes in the graph that do not correspond to the norm, you need to consult a specialist.

So, what should alert you when compiling and deciphering basal temperature (BT) charts:

Charts of basal temperature (BT) with low or high temperature throughout the entire cycle;
- cycles less than 21 days and more than 35 days. This may be a sign of ovarian dysfunction, clinically manifested by bleeding in the middle of the menstrual cycle. Or there may be a different picture - the cycle is always lengthened, which is expressed in constant delays in menstruation by more than 10 days, while there is no pregnancy;
- if you observe a shortening of the second phase according to the graphs;
- if the graphs are anovulatory or the manifestations of ovulation are not clearly expressed on the graph;
- graphs with high temperature in the second phase for more than 18 days, while there is no pregnancy;
- monophasic graphs: the difference between the first and second phase is less than 0.4 C;
- if the BT charts are absolutely normal: ovulation occurs, both phases are full, but pregnancy does not occur within a year with regular unprotected sexual activity;
- sharp jumps and rises in BT in both phases of the cycle.

If you follow all the rules for measuring basal temperature, you will discover a lot of new things. Always remember that you do not need to draw any conclusions on your own based on the obtained graphs. This can only be done by a qualified gynecologist, and then only after additional research.

Obstetrician-gynecologist, Ph.D. Christina Frambos.

It is useful for every girl who is planning a pregnancy to know how to keep a basal temperature (BT) chart. This is not difficult, but the process requires a lot of patience, because you will have to mark your BT every day for at least two to three months. It is better to analyze the resulting graphs together with a gynecologist. However, using this method, even without a doctor, you can learn a lot about your health and ability to conceive. Our article, written together with an obstetrician-gynecologist, will help you with this.

Basal temperature and body temperature are not the same thing. BT is measured not in the armpit, but in the vagina, mouth or (most often) in the anus. This is not the temperature of the body surface, but the temperature internal organs. Basal temperature changes noticeably even with small changes in the level of some female hormones.

Body temperature depends little on the day of the monthly cycle, but BT changes noticeably when changing phases of the cycle. That is why obstetricians-gynecologists and women themselves have been drawing up BT charts for several decades to find out how it works reproductive system.

The method was invented in the 50s of the 20th century in Great Britain. Professor Marshall discovered that the hormone progesterone (one of the main hormones of the female reproductive system) can significantly influence temperature female body. Basal temperature can be used to accurately determine fluctuations in hormone levels. And since the amount of progesterone changes throughout the cycle, using the BT schedule you can understand at home how the ovaries work.

BT will even help tell you whether conception has occurred. Of course, you will receive a clear answer to this question only after a delay with the help of special tests or analyses. But the chart will tell you that pregnancy is not excluded.

However, you should not think that a “thermometer in the butt” is a mandatory part of the program for all women who want to get pregnant. Not at all. When planning a pregnancy, measuring your basal temperature is completely optional. It is much more important to undergo at least a minimal medical examination by a gynecologist and therapist - tests for infections, levels of major sex hormones, general analysis blood, etc.

But there are situations when the method of measuring basal temperature will be really useful:

1. If you fail to get pregnant within 6-12 months. If the “experience” is less, there is absolutely nothing to worry about yet. You just have to keep trying. If it is more, we can already talk about infertility, and you need to undergo a serious examination by a doctor. But in this time period, the chart will help you navigate when ovulation occurs (and specifically “work” on future pregnancy exactly on these days). BT will also help you make sure that your reproductive system is working correctly.
2. If your doctor recommended that you measure your BT. This method is not the main one in diagnosis, but as an auxiliary method it has been used for a long time and successfully. For example, it will help your doctor figure out whether your dominant follicle is maturing and whether you are ovulating. However, as a rule, the doctor asks the patient to supplement the BBT measurement with ovulation tests. And keep in mind that no doctor has the right to make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment only on the basis of BT charts! This additional method research, but nothing more;
3. If you are in a hurry to get pregnant and want to know exactly when your fertile days are.

Should I trust this method?

Let's make a reservation right away: many modern doctors consider this method obsolete. Just 10 years ago, scheduling BT was a mandatory part of the examination of patients who had difficulty conceiving.

Now a number of doctors have abandoned this study in favor of other - more accurate and less painstaking - methods. For example, (special ultrasound) and ovulation tests.

Indeed, in some situations the BT chart will be inaccurate and may be misleading:

• If you measure the temperature incorrectly;
• If you measure BT for only one month. The only graph is uninformative. It is necessary to carry out measurements at least three cycles in a row;
• If there is chronic or acute illness(not necessarily related to gynecology);
• if you have hypo- or hyperthyroidism (thyroid disease);
• You are taking sedatives or hormonal medications

and in some other situations.

However, if done correctly, BT can still serve as a free but valuable diagnostic tool.

Of course, you yourself should not make any diagnoses or take medications based on the BT schedule. This is an inaccurate method, and self-medication is unacceptable!

How to measure basal temperature correctly

There are three main ways to measure basal temperature:

• in the mouth (orally);
• in the vagina (vaginally);
• in the anus (rectally).

Each of them has its pros and cons, while the third method is considered the classic and most accurate. Refrain from experiments: if you start measuring in your mouth, continue until the end of the cycle. In the next cycle, if the measurement method seems inconvenient, it can be changed.

You can measure basal temperature with a regular (mercury) thermometer, and electronic thermometer, but always high quality and accurate. After all, if you have, for example, a sore throat, then it does not of great importance, what is your temperature - 38.6 or 38.9. But when measuring BT, every tenth of a degree carries a lot of meaning. Mercury thermometer hold for 6-7 minutes, electronic - until the signal plus 2-3 minutes, this will be more accurate. You should not change the thermometer during one cycle. For hygiene reasons, the thermometer should be wiped with alcohol after measurement.

BT is measured early in the morning immediately after waking up, without getting out of bed and without even moving (the thermometer must be shaken off in advance and placed on the nightstand next to the bed, but not under the pillow). It is important that you get at least three hours of uninterrupted sleep (without going to the toilet or getting water) before waking up.

The main rule for measuring basal temperature is to keep the thermometer in a lying position, in a relaxed state, almost half asleep, without moving. Write down the result (graph) immediately - it’s easy to forget.

If you couldn’t measure it in the morning, there’s no point in doing it in the afternoon. After all, during the day the basal temperature is unstable, it jumps depending on emotional state, physical activity, food, etc.

Why does the schedule go wrong?

Some conditions can affect your basal temperature and make the chart unreliable. Continue measuring BT, but note those days when the following circumstances were in effect:

• ARVI or other viral infections, as well as bacterial diseases with rising temperature;
• taking certain medications, such as hormonal or sedatives. When taking oral contraceptives, ovulation is suppressed, so measuring BBT is generally pointless;
• injuries, surgical interventions, including small ones (for example, you had a tooth pulled out);
• stress, insomnia;
• drinking alcohol;
• indigestion;
• moving, flying, especially with a change in time zones;
• sexual intercourse

When analyzing the graph, you need to make adjustments for these factors.

How to build a graph

To plot your basal temperature chart, click on this template and save it to your computer (and fill it out right there) or print it.

Click to enlarge the template. Download it to your computer and fill it out right there. Or print and fill out by hand.

The numbers in the top column are the days of the menstrual cycle (not to be confused with the days of the month). Every day after measuring your temperature, put a dot in the appropriate box. To create a graph, at the end of the cycle, connect the points sequentially with a line.

After the graph is completed, you need to draw a closing line. To do this, you need to look at the temperature values ​​on days 6 to 12. A line is drawn above them. This line is a service line, it is needed only for clarity.

Below, in the empty field, you can make notes. For example, “from 12 to 15 dc - a tooth hurt, the temperature rose.” “Day 18 of the cycle is very stressful.”

What should be a normal basal temperature?

Normally, basal temperature changes throughout the entire cycle, and the graph turns out to be two-phase.

The duration of the cycle and the length of each phase are different for each woman, so we give approximate, indicative figures.

During menstruation, BT is usually 36.7-37 degrees. When the bleeding stops, the temperature drops slightly. In the first phase of the monthly cycle (from 1 to 10-15 days) in a woman high level estrogen and low level progesterone. Immediately after menstruation, the normal basal temperature is low. In a healthy woman it rarely rises above 36.6.

Before ovulation it may decrease slightly. And after ovulation it rises to 37 and above. The difference between the phases is 0.4-0.8 degrees.

Normally, basal temperature may drop slightly before your period. If this does not happen, this may indicate both individual characteristics and a possible pregnancy.

Here is an example of a basal temperature chart.

If your graph is similar to the one in the picture, then most likely you are ovulating and your ovaries are working correctly. If there are deviations, if there is no clear rise in temperature in the second phase of the cycle, this may indicate (although not necessarily) some hormonal problems.

How to determine ovulation on a schedule

By the way your basal temperature changes, you can calculate ovulation - that important point when the egg is released from the ovary and fertilization is possible. A normal basal temperature chart suggests a fairly sharp fluctuations. Before ovulation, BT decreases slightly, and then, during ovulation, it rises quite sharply. On the graph, at least three points in a row must be above the covering line. The ovulation line is drawn vertically - it separates low temperatures from high.

If, for example, BT was 36.5, and then the basal temperature was 37, then this means that ovulation occurred. If you are planning to conceive, you should have sex two days before, during, and two days after ovulation.

But keep in mind that you should not use this information as a method of contraception. Method " dangerous days"Extremely unreliable. It gives a high percentage of spontaneous pregnancies. If you use contraception only on “dangerous days,” be prepared for the fact that you will become pregnant within a year with a probability of 10-40 percent (this variation is due to the fact that the risk was analyzed using different methods).

The unreliability of the “dangerous days” method is due to the fact that viable sperm can “survive” in the female genital tract for several days. And wait for the ovulated egg. In addition, the method of measuring basal temperature cannot determine ovulation with one hundred percent accuracy.

BT for various pathologies

Basal temperature can tell you whether a woman is healthy and even help with making a specific diagnosis.

We publish examples of basal temperature charts with explanations.

Anovulatory cycle

If the graph is monotonous, if there is no rise in temperature in the second phase, we can talk about the absence of ovulation and that this cycle and. That is, the dominant follicle does not mature or matures, but for some reason does not burst. Accordingly, a mature egg is not released, and conception cannot occur in this cycle. Normally, each woman has from 2 to 6 anovulatory cycles per year (the older the woman, the more there are). But if such a picture is observed for several months in a row, this may be a source of problems with conception. We need to see a doctor.

Estrogen-progesterone deficiency

If there is a rise in temperature, but it is small (01-0.3 degrees), this may indicate a deficiency in the corpus luteum phase (estrogen-progesterone deficiency). In this situation, ovulation occurs, fertilization may even occur, but the level of hormones is insufficient to support pregnancy. This condition is corrected hormonal drugs(they must be prescribed by a doctor).

Short second phase

(after ovulation) is normally 12-16 days. If it is shorter than 10 days, this may indicate a failure of the second phase. A ovulated egg, even if fertilized, will not be able to penetrate the endometrium, and pregnancy will not occur. In this case, deciphering the basal temperature chart will not be difficult: pregnancy is problematic. See your doctor.

The duration of the first phase is not so important: it depends on individual characteristics women and has little effect on the ability to conceive.

Estrogen deficiency

If BT is high in the first phase (36.7-37 degrees), this may mean that you lack estrogen - important female hormones. If this condition is confirmed by tests, then it needs to be corrected with special medications.

Inflammation

Also heat in the first phase it can be triggered by inflammation of the appendages or other gynecological inflammatory diseases.

Signs of an inflammatory disease

Attention: these graphs can only suggest problems! This is not a diagnosis or a reason to take medication.

What abnormalities should you report to your doctor?

monotonous graphs, when the temperature is higher or lower than 37 throughout the entire cycle, with temperature differences being less than 0.4 degrees;

• too short monthly cycle(21 days or less);
• the monthly cycle is too long (more than 36 days);
• if there is no clear ovulation on the chart, and this picture is observed for several cycles in a row;
• if sharp, unsystematic jumps in BT are observed during the cycle. However, this condition can be explained by various external and internal factors that affect temperature (alcohol intake, stress, somatic diseases etc.);
• if the schedule is normal, but desired pregnancy does not occur within 12 months.

BT during pregnancy

If at the very end of the cycle the temperature does not decrease, but remains high (37 degrees or above), there is a chance that you are pregnant. Normally, it will remain at a level of 37-37.5 throughout the first trimester. A sharp decrease may be random, or may mean complications during pregnancy. There is no need to panic, but it is better to contact your gynecologist.